9/3/11

For the Love of Sleep (ADHD Principle #11)

Before I launch into another post I just want to thank you all for your support, emails, & great feedback! It’s wonderful to hear stories from friends who have endured similar struggles, especially with ADD and ADHD.

I am also adding one more suggestion to my post below about ways to stay focused. It’s so obvious I can’t believe I forgot to list it! (Thanks Bryan Solar for pointing it out)

11. Sleep!

During the week, I live on the early bird special schedule. I usually tuck into bed around 9:30pm in order to wake up at 6:30am and start writing before the workday begins. Call me crazy, but it so rewarding to do something personal for yourself before launching into the day’s activities. Sleep is important for everyone, but for those of us with ADD or ADHD, we expend so much energy it’s important to refuel for the day ahead. After a night of less than eight hours I find that I’m either wired with inattention or impatient with exhaustion. Trust me, you’ll feel better and those around you with thank you.

I’m not sure if this is true for everyone with ADD or ADHD, but I feel more rested when I stick to an earlier schedule. Even if I stay up late into the morning hours and somehow manage eight hours of sleep, my mind just doesn’t operate at the same level. Always interested to hear if you have similar (or different) experiences! Feel free to post comments below.